JPH0737402Y2 - Communication control device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of use) The present invention relates to a communication control device, and in particular, one line is selectively switched between a telephone having an answering machine and a host device such as a facsimile device. The present invention relates to a communication control device used.

(Prior Art) Recently, in an information-oriented society, a facsimile machine has been widely used, and a personal computer or the like is often provided with a communication function. In such a case, it is usual that a new telephone line is not drawn exclusively for a host device such as a facsimile machine or a personal computer, but is shared with a conventionally used telephone line.

In such a case, the line is selectively switched between the telephone device and the host device by the communication control device, but not only an ordinary telephone device but also a telephone device with a so-called answering machine is connected as the telephone device. It may be done.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) However, in such a conventional communication control device, since the line is selectively switched between the telephone device and the host device, the telephone device has an answering machine function. , It was inconvenient because I could not know how many times the answering machine was used and the recording time.

In addition, a telephone equipped with an answering machine simply records the voice that is sent to it, which is inconvenient because I do not know when it was recorded.

Therefore, the invention of the present application is such that, when connected to an answering machine, the number of times the recording function is used and the recording time are calculated, and the result is displayed on the display unit of the host device. By outputting the date and time information that displays the voice message from the host device from the host device and recording it on the telephone, the operator can easily know the number of times the answering machine is used and the recording time. Also, by making it possible to know when it was recorded,
The purpose is to further improve usability and convenience.

(Structure of device) In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the device of the present invention, in a communication control device that selectively switches and connects one line to a telephone having an answering machine and a data communication device, through a line. Call signal detecting means for detecting the call signal sent by the caller, control signal detecting means for detecting the data control signal sent from the other side after the line is closed, and call for outputting the call signal to the telephone. Signal generating means, calculating means for calculating the number of times of operation of the answering machine or recording time operated in response to the calling signal output from the calling signal generating means, and the number of times of operation or recording time calculated by the calculating means And a means for displaying the data, and a means for immediately shifting to the data receiving process by the data communication device when the control signal detecting means detects the data control signal after the line is closed. On the other hand, when the data control signal is not detected and the protocol is not established, the calling signal generating means outputs a calling signal to the telephone to operate the answering machine function. .

Hereinafter, a specific description will be given based on examples.

1 to 4 are views showing an embodiment of the invention of the present application, which is applied to a facsimile apparatus.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a facsimile machine, and the facsimile machine 1 comprises a main body 2, a document table 3 on which a document is placed, and an operation section 4. The operation unit 4 includes a numeric keypad 4a, operation keys 4b for inputting other commands, and a display unit 4c for displaying input commands and information transmitted from the facsimile apparatus 1 to the operator. The telephone 5 of is connected. The telephone 5 includes a main body 5a and a handset 5b, and has a so-called answering machine function. This answering machine automatically answers the call from the other party's telephone and sends out a prerecorded response message.
Record voice messages from the other party in memory such as IC memory or magnetic tape.

As shown in FIG. 2, the facsimile apparatus 1 includes a document reading unit 11, a recording unit 12, an A / D conversion circuit 13, a buffer memory 14,
Data compression / reproduction circuit 15, modulation / demodulation circuit 16, network control circuit
A control circuit 18 and a control circuit 18 are provided.

The document reading unit 11 includes a line image sensor (not shown), document conveying means, and the like, conveys the documents set on the document table 3 one by one, and the image information of the documents is line-by-line by the line image sensor. The data is read, photoelectrically converted, and output to the A / D conversion circuit 13.

The A / D (Analog / Digital) conversion circuit 13 converts an analog signal into a digital signal, and image information (analog signal) for each read line output from the document reading unit 11
To a digital signal.

The buffer memory 14 stores the image information from the document reading unit 11 digitized by the A / D conversion circuit 13 for each predetermined line (for example, one line) and sends it to the data compression / reproduction circuit 15.

The data compression / reproduction circuit 15 is intended to shorten the transmission time of image information and improve the efficiency thereof. The image information is compressed (encoded) at the time of transmission, and the compressed (encoded) image information is received at the time of reception. Play on information.

The modulation / demodulation circuit 16 is generally called a modem and modulates the image information of the document processed by the data compression / reproduction circuit 15 for transmission through an external line.
The modulated signal input from the external line is demodulated to extract a digital signal.

The network control circuit 17, which is generally called AA-NCU, automatically receives a call to a destination and also automatically receives a call from a transmission from an external line.

The control circuit 18 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM and the like, and the ROM stores the basic program of the facsimile apparatus 1 and the answering machine function processing program of the present invention. The control circuit 18 controls each part of the facsimile device 1 in accordance with the program in the ROM to execute the sequence as the facsimile device 1. The control circuit 18 calculates the number of recorded messages and recorded time of the present invention, and displays them on the display part 4c. Display processing is executed.

The recording unit 12 includes a thermal head (not shown), a conveyance unit, an ink sheet, recording paper, etc., and a buffer memory.
The image is recorded on the recording paper based on the image information and the control signal input from 14.

The network control circuit 17, as shown in FIG.
22, a DC current detector 23, 24, a ringing signal detector 25, a ringing signal generator 26, a DC power supply unit 27, a voice transmitter 28, a transformer 29, etc., and the network control circuit 17 has an external line.
L ₁ , L ₂ and telephone 5 are connected.

The relay 21 is turned on / off to connect or disconnect the external lines L ₁ and L ₂ to the modulation / demodulation circuit 16 on the facsimile 1 side, which constitutes a first switching means. The relay 22 connects the telephone 5 to the external lines L ₁ and L ₂ when the contact piece 22a is tilted to the normally closed contact 22b side, and when the segment 22a is tilted to the normally open contact 22c side, It is connected to the DC power supply unit 27 via the DC current detector 24. That is, the relay 22 constitutes second switching means for selectively switching and connecting the telephone 5 to the external lines L ₁ and L ₂ and the DC power supply unit 27. These relays 21 and 22 are driven and switched by a switching signal from the control circuit 18.

The DC current detector 23 is provided with a photo coupler and the like, and detects the line connectivity and the current flowing from the lines L ₁ and L ₂ to the telephone 5 with the photo coupler and outputs an ON signal OS to the control circuit 18. That is, the DC current detector 23 constitutes a circuit state detecting means for detecting the connection state of the lines L ₁ and L ₂ when the telephone 5 is connected to the lines L ₁ and L ₂ by the relay 22.
The DC current detector 24 has the same configuration as the DC current detector 23. When the section 22a of the relay 22 is in contact with the normally open contact 22c side, when the telephone 5 is off-hook, the DC power supply unit 27 The photocoupler detects the current flowing from the telephone 5 to the telephone 5 and outputs the off-hook signal HS to the control circuit 18. That is, the DC current detector 24 constitutes an off-hook detecting means for detecting an off-hook of the telephone 5 when the telephone 5 is connected to the DC power supply unit 27 by the relay 22.

The ringing signal detector (ringing signal detecting means) 25 is an external line L ₁ ,
Always connected to L _2, and detects a call signal sent via the line L _1, L ₂ and outputs a ring signal RS to the control circuit 18. The call signal generator (call signal generating means) 26 is a control circuit.
It operates by the drive signal from 18 and outputs a calling signal to the telephone 5.

The DC power supply unit 27 includes a DC current detector 24 and a relay 22.
A predetermined DC power source is supplied to the telephone 5 via the.

The voice transmitter 28 is activated by a drive signal from the control circuit 18, and transmits a voice message input in advance to the lines L ₁ , L ₂
Output to. As this voice message, for example,
"This is XX. If you are a fax, please press Start. If you are calling, please wait for a while."

Next, the operation will be described.

In the present invention, when the telephone 5 connected to the facsimile machine 1 which is the host device is an answering machine, and when the answering machine function of the telephone 5 is activated and an answering machine is recorded, the number of times of recording and recording The characteristic is that the time is calculated and displayed on the display unit 4c of the facsimile apparatus 1. Hereinafter, this recorded message processing will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

Facsimile machine 1 is a facsimile machine 1 with an external line.
In the automatic reception mode in which L ₁ and L ₂ are preferentially used, the relay 21 and the relay 22 of the network control circuit 17 are in the state shown in FIG. 3, that is, the relay 21 is off and the relay 22 has a section 22a.
Is connected to the contact 22c side.

Now, when a ringing signal is sent from the external lines L ₁ and L ₂ ,
The ringing signal detector 25 detects this ringing signal (step
P ₁ ), the ringing signal detector 25 outputs the ring signal RS to the control circuit 18. When the ring signal RS is input from the ringing signal detector 25, the control circuit 18 outputs a switching signal to the relay 21, turns on the relay 21 and closes the lines L ₁ and L ₂ (step
P ₂ ). Therefore, the lines L ₁ and L ₂ are connected to the modulation / demodulation circuit 16 on the side of the facsimile device 1 via the transformer 29,
The control circuit 18 outputs a drive signal to the audio transmitter 28. Voice dispenser 28 is operated by a drive signal from the control circuit 18, "is here ○○. If the fax, press the start. Please wait for some time towards the phone." The voice messages, etc.) the line L _1, Send to L ₂ (step P ₃ ). After sending this voice message, the control circuit 18 sends a CED signal (called terminal identification signal) and a DIS signal (digital identification signal), which are facsimile control signals, and waits for a response from the other party as a facsimile control signal. When the facsimile control signal is sent from the other party, it judges that the other party is a facsimile terminal and shifts to normal facsimile reception processing (steps P ₄ and P ₅ ). When it is determined that the ringing signal is present, the drive signal is output to the calling signal generator 26. The ringing signal generator 26 is activated by the drive signal from the control circuit 18 and outputs the ringing signal to the telephone 5 (step P ₆ ), and the telephone 5 detects this ringing signal with the ringing signal detector incorporated therein. To start (Step P ₇ ).
When the telephone 5 is activated, the DC current detector 24 detects the off-hook of the telephone 5 and outputs an off-hook signal HS to the control circuit 18, and when the off-hook signal HS is input, the control circuit 18 relays 21 and changeover signal to the relay 22, the relay 22 switches the armature 22a to the contact 22b side (step P _8). Then, the relay 21 is turned off (Step P _9),
To initiate a response by telephone 5 (step P _10).

The response of the telephone 5 is a response from a normal answering machine,
The telephone 5 first sends a response message. This response message is, for example, "I am out of the office right now, if you are in need, please tell me your name, phone number, and message after the beep." . When the telephone 5 finishes sending the response message and sends out a beeping sound, it activates a voice recorder built in the telephone 5, for example, a recorder using an IC or a recorder using a magnetic tape. To start recording the other party's voice (step P ₁₁ ). This voice recording is performed until the other party goes on-hook or until a preset recording time comes, and when the recording ends, the control circuit 18 outputs a switching signal to the relay 22 and connects the contact piece 22a to the contact 22c side. (Step P ₁₂ ). This makes the line
L ₁ and L ₂ are released and it returns to the initial state. The direct current detector 23 detects that the other party has gone on-hook and that the telephone set 5 has gone on-hook after the preset recording time has elapsed.

In this way, the control circuit 18 connects the lines L ₁ and L ₂ to the telephone 5 when not in the facsimile communication, and opens the lines L ₁ and L ₂ when the answering machine ends, but by this series of operations,
The number and time of the recorded messages on the telephone 5 are calculated and displayed on the display unit 4c. That is, when the operator is out of the office, he / she inputs a command to record by the operation key 4b of the operation unit 4, but when this command is input, the control circuit 18 will subsequently use the line L ₁ based on this command. , L ₂ is connected to the telephone 5, it is determined that it is an answering machine. The control circuit 18 receives the ringing signals from the lines L ₁ and L _2, and the line L ₁ ,
When L ₂ is connected to the telephone 5, the number of times it is calculated as if there was an answering machine. The time T of the recorded message is the time during which the voice recorder of the telephone 5 is operating, and the time from the activation of the telephone 5 in step P ₇ to the end of the beeping sound in step P ₁₀ is T ₁ , T _{2 is} the time from when the telephone 5 is activated in step P ₇ until the DC current detector 23 detects the opening of the lines L ₁ and L ₂ , it is given by the following equation.

T = T ₂ −T ₁ (1) The time T ₁ is set by the operator inputting it from the operation unit 4 when recording a response message in the telephone 5, and the time T ₂ is set by the DC current detector 24. It is obtained as the time from when the off-hook of the telephone 5 is detected to when the DC current detector 23 detects the opening of the lines L ₁ and L ₂ . However, the time T ₁ is actually set as the time during which the operator is recording the response message. Even if the control circuit 18 outputs a switching signal to the relay 22 to connect the lines L ₁ and L ₂ to the telephone 5, the DC current detector 24 detects the DC current before the activation of the telephone 5. DC current detection when the detector 23 detects the opening of the lines L ₁ and L ₂ and before the time T ₁ elapses, that is, before the telephone 5 is activated and a beep is emitted. vessel
When 23 detects that the lines L ₁ and L ₂ are released, the recording count cannot be counted because the absence recording was not performed.

The control circuit 18 appropriately displays the number of recordings and the recording time of the recorded message of the telephone 5 calculated in this way on the display unit 4c of the operation unit 4. Therefore, the operator determines whether or not the telephone 5 was recorded, and if so, how many times the telephone was recorded.
You can find out what the recording time is. As a result, it is possible to further improve the convenience of use of the telephone 5 with an answering machine, which shares one line L ₁ and L ₂ with the facsimile device 1 as a host device.

5 and 6 are diagrams showing an embodiment of the invention of the present application, which is applied to a facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a detailed circuit diagram of the network control circuit (communication control device) 32 of the facsimile apparatus 31. The network control circuit 32 includes a line protection circuit 33, a hook detector 34, a loop detector 35, and a rectifier 3.
6, DC circuit closing switch 37, hybrid IC 38, switching devices 39, 40, balance converter 41, ringing signal detector 4
2. It is provided with a ringing signal starter 43, a DC current detector 44, transformers 45, 46 and the like.

The network control circuit 32 includes external lines L ₁ and L ₂ and an external telephone 47.
, And the network control circuit 32 is connected to the facsimile device 31.
The control unit 48 controls the operation of each unit. The line protection circuit 33 protects the facsimile apparatus 1 from abnormalities of the lines L ₁ and L ₂ , for example, metallic surge, and the hook detector 34 detects the polarity reversal of the lines L ₁ and L ₂ . The loop detector 35 detects disconnection of the DC circuit with the communication partner, and the DC circuit closing switch 37 closes the DC circuit and sends a dial pulse. The hybrid IC38 has a transformer
45 and the balance converter 41 are connected and adjust the sidebands on the facsimile transmission side. The switch 39 operates under the control of the control unit 48, and selectively connects the balance converter 41 and the ringing signal detector 42 to the lines L ₁ and L ₂ and the telephone 47. That is, the switch 39 connects the balance converter 41 side to the lines L ₁ and L ₂ when the contact piece 39a is in contact with the contact point 39b side, and the contact piece 39a is connected to the contact point 3a.
Connect to the telephone 47 side when in contact with the 9c side. Switch 40
Operates under the control of the control unit 48 and connects the telephone 47 to the lines L ₁ and L ₂
And the call signal generator 43 and the DC current detector 44 side are selectively switched and connected. That is, the switching device 40 connects the telephone 47 to the line when the contact piece 40a is in contact with the contact 40b.
When connecting to L ₁ and L ₂ and the contact piece 40a is in contact with the contact 40c,
The telephone set 47 is connected to the calling signal generator 43 side. balance·
The converter 41 unbalance-converts the 1300 Hz facsimile calling signal, and the calling signal detector 42 detects the calling signal and outputs the ring signal RS to the control unit 48.

The ringing signal generator 43 forms a DC loop with the telephone 47 and sends a ringing signal to the telephone 47, and the DC current detector 44 detects the off-hook of the telephone 47,
The dial pulse input by the telephone 47 is converted into a signal form that can be processed by the control unit 48 and output to the control unit 48. Telephone
The 47 is equipped with a so-called answering machine, which automatically responds to calls from the other party's telephone and sends out a prerecorded response message, while sending voice messages from the other party to IC memory or magnetic tape. Record in memory.

The control unit 48 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAN, and the like, and the ROM stores the basic program of the facsimile apparatus 31 and the answering machine processing program of the present invention. The control unit 48 executes the sequence as the facsimile device 31 according to the program in the ROM, and also executes the recorded message processing of the present invention. The control unit 48 includes a timer 49,
The timer 49, to which the buzzer 50 and the voice synthesizer 51 are connected, measures the current time, and the buzzer 50 generates a positive key input sound or a ringing tone. The voice synthesizing device 51 outputs the time when the voice mail was recorded by the telephone 47 to the telephone 47 via the control unit 48 as date and time information by voice based on the time measured by the timer 49.

Next, the operation will be described.

The invention of this claim is characterized in that, when recorded on an external telephone, the recorded place name is recorded on the telephone by voice. Hereinafter, this recorded message processing will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

When the power is turned on, the facsimile device 31 performs initial processing, opens the DC circuit closing switch 37, switches 39 and 40 to their contact pieces 39a and 40a.
Connecting to 39b and the contact 40b side (Step S _1). In this initial state, if there is a ringing signal from lines L ₁ and L ₂ (step
S _2), detecting the call signal by the calling signal detector 42, the call signal detector 42 outputs a ring signal RS to the control unit 48. When the ring signal RS is input, the control unit 48 turns on the DC circuit closing switch 37, and the switch 39 and the contact piece 39 of the switch 40.
a and the contact piece 40a switched to the contacts 39c and the contact 40c side (Step S _3). It is determined whether or not the other party is a facsimile terminal depending on whether or not the CNG signal (calling tone) is input from the lines L ₁ and L ₂ (step S ₄ ), and when the terminal is a facsimile terminal, the switch 39 and switch 40 are connected. Piece 39a, 40a
The run contact 39 b, normal facsimile reception process is switched to 40b side (Step S _5).

On the other hand, when the other party is a telephone, the calling signal generator 43 is driven and the calling signal is sent to the telephone 47 through the switch 40 (step S ₆ ). When the direct current detector 44 detects that the telephone 47 is off-hook, the contact piece 40a of the switch 40 is changed to the contact 4
Switch to 0b to connect telephone 47 to lines L ₁ and L ₂ , and turn off DC circuit closing switch 37 (step
S _7), telephone 47 via the line L _1, L ₂ starts answer phone with the other party phone (Step S _8). After that, when the loop detector 35 detects that the line has been disconnected, it is determined that the answering machine has finished (step S ₉ ), and the contact piece 40 of the switching device 40 is determined.
switching a to contact 40c side (step S _10), call signal generator 4
3 to drive a call signal to the telephone 47 (step S
₁₁ ). When telephone 47 goes off hook (step S _12),
A voice synthesizer 51 based on the current time measured by the timer 49
Generate date and time information by voice. The date and time information is sent to the telephone 47 via the switcher 40, thereby answering record the telephone 47 (step S _13). The date and time information is, for example, "The current absence was recorded at XX month, XX day, XX hour, and XX minutes." Good.

When transmission of the date and time information is completed, the contact piece 39a of the switching unit 39 to the contact point 39c side, switches the contact piece 40a to the contact 40c side switching device 40, the flow ends by returning to the initial state (Step S ₁₄ ).

Therefore, when an answering machine is recorded by the telephone 47,
The time of the recorded message can be recorded at the same time by voice as date and time information, and the date and time when the recorded message is recorded can be made clear. As a result, when the recorded voice message from the other party is reproduced, it is possible to know when the voice message was recorded by the date and time information together with the voice message, and convenience and usability are further improved.

In the above embodiment, the facsimile device is taken as the host device, but the host device is not limited to this.
It may be a personal computer or the like.

(Effect) At the time of line connection, first, it is judged whether the other party's request is a data communication or a call, and the answering machine function is activated only when it is judged to be a call request. Even if it is set, data communication can be performed without trouble, and by this, the number of times of operation of the answering machine or the number of times of recording can be accurately calculated.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 4 are views showing an embodiment of a communication control device of the invention of the present application. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a facsimile device to which the communication control device is applied, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram of the network control circuit (communication control device) of the facsimile machine, and FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the recorded message processing. 5 and 6 are diagrams showing an embodiment of the communication control device of the present application. FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram of a main part of a facsimile machine to which the communication control device is applied, and FIG. It is a flowchart. 1 ... Facsimile device, 4 ... Operation unit, 4c ... Display unit (display unit), 5 ... Telephone, 17 ... Network control circuit (communication control device), 18 ... Control unit (control signal detection unit) , Calculation means), 21 ... relay, 22 ... relay, 23 ... DC current detector, 24 ... DC current detector, 25 ... calling signal detector (calling signal detecting means), 26 ... calling signal Generator (call signal generating means), 27 ... DC power supply unit (DC power supply),
31 ... Facsimile device, 32 ... Network control circuit (communication control device), 35 ... Loop detector, 37 ... DC circuit closing switch, 39,40 ... Switcher, 42 ... Call signal detector, 43 ...
… Call signal generator, 44 …… DC current detector.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A call control signal for detecting a call signal sent through a line in a communication control device for selectively connecting and connecting one line to a telephone having an answering machine and a data communication device. Detecting means, control signal detecting means for detecting a data control signal sent from the other side after the line is closed, calling signal generating means for outputting a calling signal to the telephone, and output from the calling signal generating means Calculating means for calculating the number of operations or recording time of the answering machine functioning in response to the ringing signal, display means for displaying the number of operations or recording time calculated by the calculating means, and When the control signal detecting means detects the data control signal, it immediately shifts to the data receiving process by the data communication device, while the data control signal is not detected and the program is not detected. Communication control apparatus characterized by comprising a control means for actuating the voice mail by outputting a ringing signal to the telephone by the ringing signal generating means when Col is not established.